Armed Forces: Defence Equipment Plan

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their intentions and expectations in respect of the publication of the defence equipment plan.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The detailed financial data and planning assumptions about the proposed content and timing of the equipment plan form part of internal advice to Ministers on the overall affordability of the defence programme and of individual projects at the time they come forward for approval.
	I am withholding further information because it relates to internal discussion and commercial interests.
	Information is, however, routinely made available on a range of major equipment projects, which together form the substantial part of the department's forward equipment programme; for example, in support of the PAC's annual major projects report and the HCDC's annual inquiry into defence procurement.

Armed Forces: Pay

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What reply they are sending to the Royal British Legion's submission to them of 8 May that a significant part of the pay increase for the Armed Forces announced earlier this year is being taken back by the Treasury, making "a negative impact on morale and perpetuating problems with recruitment and retention"; and what action they are taking specifically to address the effects of the abolition of the 10p starting rate of income tax for service men and women affected by it.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: My right honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence has received a letter dated 8 May 2008 from the director-general of the Royal British Legion on the effects of the abolition of the 10p starting rate of income tax on service men and women. He will reply shortly.
	In the mean time, I would refer the noble Lord to the announcement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 13 May 2008 of an increase in the individual personal tax allowance by £600 to £6,035 for this financial year, benefiting all basic-rate taxpayers under 65. Around 22 million basic-rate taxpayers will gain an additional £120 this year, fully compensating 80 per cent of households that lose from the Budget 2007 reforms, including the vast majority of the regular Armed Forces.

Aviation: Air Passenger Duty

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received representations from the Government of Morocco on the applicability of air passenger duty to passengers flying to Morocco.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Treasury has received representations from the Moroccan Government regarding air passenger duty (APD). Treasury Ministers and officials have held a number of meetings with Moroccan Ministers and officials.
	The Treasury has recently ended a formal consultation on replacing APD with a per plane duty and can confirm that a formal response from the Moroccan Government has been received.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK Trade and Industry have also received representations from the Moroccan Government regarding APD. The matter has been raised with a number of UK dignitaries who have visited Morocco.

Aviation: Air Passenger Duty

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they have responded to any representations they have received from the Government of the Morocco about the effect of air passenger duty on the tourism industry in that country.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Exchequer Secretary, Angela Eagle, recently met the Moroccan Minister for Trade, Industry, and New Technologies. The Treasury keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor will consider the case for a change in the air passenger duty (APD) rate to Morocco, along with that for other tax rates, at Pre-Budget Report 2008.
	The Treasury has recently ended a formal consultation on replacing APD with a per plane duty and can confirm that a formal response from the Moroccan Government has been received. This response is currently being considered, along with others, to assist in the development of the new per plane duty which will replace APD on 1 November 2009.

Bolivia: British Embassy

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many official visits the British embassy in Bolivia has received this year from Britain; who visited; and for what purpose.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Our embassy in La Paz has received one official visit this year from the UK. My honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East, Kim Howells, visited Bolivia from 12 to 14 May 2008. He was the first Foreign Office Minister to visit Bolivia since 1996.
	My honourable friend's visit to Bolivia provided a valuable opportunity for the Government to engage with the Government of Bolivia on a number of important issues ahead of the EU-Latin America and the Caribbean summit in Lima later that same week, which my honourable friend attended. A key objective of the visit was to help encourage the Government of Bolivia to view the summit as an opportunity for concrete progress on climate change and poverty reduction.
	My honourable friend sought the views of the Government of Bolivia and the Opposition there on recent internal political events, including the autonomy referendum in the region of Santa Cruz. My honourable friend encouraged all parties to maintain constructive dialogue. My honourable friend also raised the Government's concerns about investment security and discussed options for effective co-operation with the Bolivian authorities against international crime, especially drug-trafficking, and in combating global warming.

Bolivia: British Embassy

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any United Kingdom parliamentarians have been received this year by HM ambassador in Bolivia; and, if so, whether they stayed at the official residence.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Our ambassador in La Paz has received one UK parliamentarian this year. My honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East, Kim Howells, visited Bolivia from 12 to 14 May 2008. He stayed at the ambassador's official residence.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What peer-reviewed scientific advice they have received in recent years about the accuracy and reliability of tests for bovine tuberculosis.

Lord Rooker: The two tests currently used in Britain and other developed countries for the antemortem diagnosis of TB in cattle are the tuberculin skin test (the primary screening test) and the gamma interferon blood test (the ancillary test). Both tests have been subjected to extensive validation and research work published by British and foreign authors in international peer-reviewed journals over many years, and as a result, they have been officially recognised by the EU Commission and the OIE (International Animal Health Organisation).
	The Government receive advice on the specific applications and performance of the tests in Britain from specialists within Defra (including the Veterinary Laboratory Agency (VLA)), independent experts and, previously, from the former Independent Scientific Group (ISG) on cattle TB. These advisers are all familiar with, and are regular contributors to, the peer-reviewed scientific literature on this subject. Additionally, all the research on the gamma interferon test conducted at VLA's TB research group (an internationally renowned centre of excellence in this particular field) is peer reviewed at the proposal and final report stages. All projects are also reviewed at least every five years by external experts as part of Defra's science programme review.

British Overseas Territories: Biodiversity

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) when was the last time that Ministers and senior officials of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office discussed funding biodiversity in the British Overseas Territories; (b) what was decided; (c) when the next such meeting will take place; and (d) what the agenda for the next such meeting will contain.

Lord Rooker: The last meeting of the Inter Departmental Ministerial Group on Biodiversity (IDMGb) was held in March 2007, when officials from Defra, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) met to discuss gaps and obligations in the Government's conservation activities, and issues relating to the UK Overseas Territories. Officials from these bodies met again in December 2007 to discuss what should be elevated to the subsequent ministerial IDMGb meeting. Given that the last ministerial IDMGb agreed that a study into conservation priorities in the overseas territories should be carried out by the JNCC, this will certainly be one of the issues which will be discussed. The next meeting of the ministerial IDMGb is scheduled for the latter half of June 2008.

Broadcasting: Digital Radio

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment has been made in the past 12 months of the comparative power used in listening to the radio using (a) a mains-powered analogue set; (b) a mains-powered digital radio receiver; and (c) a television receiving digital radio.

Lord Rooker: Current digital radios require more energy than their traditional analogue counterparts to process the signals they receive. Evidence from the Government's market transformation programme (MTP) suggests that on average, a digital radio requires around 8.5 watts to operate compared to the 2 watts needed for an analogue radio. While there is little evidence that this gap is closing at present, in line with most new technologies it is likely that we will see some gains in efficiency as digital radios develop over time.
	While the MTP has not carried out any tests to estimate the energy consumed by listening to digital radio via a television and set-top box receiver, the Energy Saving Trust (EST) fairly recently tested four televisions in this way. These tests indicated that listening to digital radio in this way required between 60 and 183 watts. The actual energy used varied according to the type of television, the screen size and whether the screen was on or the display was black. Black screen display is available only for BBC radio channels.
	"Screen blanking", which allows the selected radio station to be received in audio only, can reduce the energy consumption to around 25 watts. Although not yet widely available, we expect this technology to become more common in the near future.

Children and Young People

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they ensured that children and young people were involved in the development of the Children's Plan.

Lord Adonis: The Department for Children, Schools and Families involved children and young people through the "Time to Talk" consultation process, which supported the development of the Children's Plan. The consultation encouraged children and young people to feed in their views through focus group discussions, deliberative events, video diaries in schools, leaflet and on-line surveys. A toolkit was also made available to help organisations and people working with children and young people run their own listening groups. All strands had questions specifically tailored to gather the views of young people.

Children and Young People

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How they will ensure that children and young people are involved in the Department for Children, Schools and Families' review of sex and relationships education.

Lord Adonis: Young people are fully involved in the review of sex and relationships education (SRE) delivery. Josh McTaggart, a member of the UK Youth Parliament is co-chairing the review with Jim Knight MP and two further members of the UK Youth Parliament are members of the review's steering group.
	As part of the review, we have developed an on-line survey, to capture young people's views on what SRE topics they feel should be covered at each key stage of learning.

Children and Young People

Baroness Gould of Potternewton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many local authorities in England have an official specifically responsible for tackling sexual exploitation; how many of these posts are full time; and how many include a specific remit for tackling the sexual exploitation of children and young people; and
	What research has been undertaken on sexual exploitation of children and young people by other children and young people.

Lord Adonis: Information on officials based in local authorities with specific responsibility for tackling sexual exploitation is not collected. Local authorities (LAs) have specific duties that have a bearing on tackling sexual exploitation in general and in regard to safeguarding children and young people. Under the terms of Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 they must do all they reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in the exercise of their functions. Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 requires LAs to make inquiries on whether action is needed to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child if the child is suspected of, or is likely to be, suffering significant harm. Under the terms of Section 11 of the Children Act 2004, LAs are also required to ensure that their functions are discharged with regard to the need to safeguard and promoted the welfare of children.
	While there is research literature on young people who sexually abuse other children and young people, I am not aware of any research that has been undertaken specifically on the exploitation of children and young people by other children and young people.

Climate Change: Population

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the population of the world is increasing year on year; whether world population has an effect on climate change; and if so, what is their policy on world population.

Lord Rooker: The Government's position on world population is detailed in the Department for International Development's policy paper on sexual and reproductive health and rights, which is available online.

Crime: Domestic Violence

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether fewer women are reporting domestic violence than four years ago; and, if so, why they believe that to be the case.

Lord West of Spithead: The British Crime Survey (BCS) is considered to be the most reliable general indicator of trends in violent crime. The most recently published main BCS from 2006-07 indicates that between 1995 and 2006-07 there was a 59 per cent fall in respondents reporting incidents of domestic violence to the survey.
	However, police data show that between 2004-05 and 2006-07 there has been an increase in the number of domestic violence incidents reported to the police.
	The increase in reports to the police can be attributed to the Government's co-ordinated approach to strengthen the criminal justice system response to domestic violence, whereby victims are encouraged to report incidents of domestic violence to the police. The figures which are collected as part of a statutory performance indicator under the police performance assessment framework are outlined in the attached table.
	
		
			 Police Performance Assessment Framework—SPI eight Data 
			 Year Number of reported Domestic Violence Incidents 
			 2004-05 547,511* 
			 2005-06 593,905* 
			 2006-07 664,169 
			 * excludes data from one force.

Cuba: Prisoners

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made representations to the Government of Cuba concerning the welfare in prison of the journalist Victor Rolando Arroyo Carmona, presently serving a 26-year sentence.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We remain extremely concerned about the plight of all political prisoners in Cuba, including Oscar Elias Biscet, president of the Lawton Human Rights Foundation, and Victor Rolando Arroyo Carmona. We are particularly concerned about those political prisoners who are reported to be suffering from poor health, yet are not apparently provided with adequate medical treatment.
	We regularly raise the issue of all political prisoners in Cuba with Cuban authorities, both in London and Havana, and call for their immediate release. During its most recent review of the EU's common position on Cuba in June 2007, the European Council stated "the EU once again urges the Cuban Government, also in Cuba's capacity as a member of the Human Rights Council, to release unconditionally all political prisoners". In November 2007, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Meg Munn, raised the subject of political prisoners with Jaime Crombert Hernandez-Baquero, leader of the Cuban National Assembly.

Cuba: Prisoners

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made representations to the Government of Cuba about the welfare in prison of the president of the Lawton Human Rights Foundation, Oscar Elias Gonzalez, presently serving a 25 year sentence.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We remain extremely concerned about the plight of all political prisoners in Cuba, including Oscar Elias Biscet, president of the Lawton Human Rights Foundation, and Victor Rolando Arroyo Carmona. We are particularly concerned about those political prisoners who are reported to be suffering from poor health, yet are not apparently provided with adequate medical treatment.
	We regularly raise the issue of all political prisoners in Cuba with Cuban authorities, both in London and Havana, and call for their immediate release. During its most recent review of the EU's common position on Cuba in June 2007, the European Council stated "the EU once again urges the Cuban Government, also in Cuba's capacity as a member of the Human Rights Council, to release unconditionally all political prisoners". In November 2007, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Meg Munn, raised the subject of political prisoners with Jaime Crombert Hernandez-Baquero, leader of the Cuban National Assembly.

Cuba: Torture

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have received evidence concerning the use of torture in Cuban prisons; and, if so, what representations they have made to the Government of Cuba about them.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We have no evidence of the use of torture in Cuban prisons. However, the most recent report from Christine Chanet, Personal Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cuba, raised concern about prison conditions including: the use of isolation cells; prisoners being beaten; lack of adequate medical supplies; substandard sanitation; and lack of food and water.
	The UK is particularly concerned about the conditions of political prisoners who are reported to be suffering ill health without adequate medical treatment. Our embassy in Havana continues to monitor the situations of such political prisoners and maintains contact with their supporters, including their immediate families. We regularly raise the issue of political prisoners with the Cuban authorities, both in London and Havana, and call for their immediate release. Most recently, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Meg Munn, raised the release of political prisoners with Jaime Crombert Hernandez-Baquero, Vice President of the National Assembly of People's Power in November 2007, and Cuban Vice Foreign Minister, Eumelio Caballero, in April 2008.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress has been made by the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) towards their mandate to seize or collect and dispose of arms and related materiel; and what analysis has been made of the origin of weapons and ammunition seized or collected by MONUC.

Lord Malloch-Brown: The UN Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) continues to seize and collect arms and related materiel in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1493. A register is kept by military staff at the mission, including information on the origin of seized and collected materiel. Due to the sensitive information contained in the register, it is not publicly available. Release of the information could prejudice MONUC's ability to seize further material. The information can be made available to the UN Sanctions Committee and was last requested by it in February 2005.

Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform: Name Change

Lord Barnett: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What benefits accrued from the change of name of the Department for Trade and Industry to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Baroness Vadera: At its inception in June 2007, the department was named to reflect its remit, which creates a single focus on the needs of UK business, while protecting the interests of consumers and employees, and meeting our commitment to the provision of secure and sustainable energy supplies.

Elections: Salford City Council

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will request that the Electoral Commission examine the recent election in the Irlam ward of Salford City Council to see whether the admitted support given to some candidates by Peel Holdings was legal.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Electoral Commission is wholly independent of government. It was established by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, which sets out regulations relating to political parties, party election campaigns and referendums.
	The Government cannot and will not ask the Electoral Commission to examine any election. Decisions to examine particular issues are a decision for the Electoral Commission alone.
	Matters relating to candidate donations and expenditure are governed by the Representation of the People Act 1983 (RPA). The RPA requires details of donations received by candidates in local elections to be submitted to the returning officer for the election within 35 days of the election. The Electoral Commission has a monitoring role in relation to the candidate expenditure requirements of the RPA and enforcement is dealt with under either the criminal or corrupt and illegal practices provisions of the Act.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Darzi of Denham on 19 March (WA 44), 21 April (WA 234) and 12 May (WA 110), (a) how the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ensures that embryos do not develop past 14 days or the appearance of the primitive streak; (b) whether outgrowing embryos have ceased to be human embryos and are therefore outside the authority's remit, and (c) what evidence there is that their assessment of outgrowing embryos ensures compliance with the law.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides that no licence may permit the culture of a "live human embryo" beyond 14 days or the appearance of the primitive streak, whichever comes first. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is required to ensure that centres comply with this statutory requirement, and it is for the HFEA to decide what inspection measures are needed to satisfy itself that centres do so.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 7 June 2007 (WA 203—04) and 19 June 2007 (WA 39), what safety measures or other criteria would be used to assess whether an embryo that has been through a process designed to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease would be included within the category of permitted embryos; and how the same criteria would apply to human reproductive cloning following the repeal of the Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001 by Clause 3(6) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government are committed to a ban on human reproductive cloning, and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill maintains this position while superseding the provisions of the Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001.
	The HFE Bill contains, in proposed new Section 3ZA(5) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, a regulation-making power to allow the meaning of the terms "permitted eggs" and "permitted embryos" to be extended to include eggs or embryos that have been treated in such a way as specified in those regulations to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease. This regulation-making power will enable such embryos and eggs to be implanted in a woman if the technology becomes available and is proven safe. Evidence of safety would clearly be a key element to be taken into account in drawing up and debating, for affirmative resolution, any such regulations.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Annual Reports

Lord Grocott: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which annual reports the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is required by Acts of Parliament to produce; and, in each case, what is the authorising Act.

Lord Malloch-Brown: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) lays annual reports before Parliament under statute on behalf of two of the non-departmental public bodies it has responsibility for. The first is the annual report of the Foreign Compensation Commission, which is produced as a requirement of the Foreign Compensation Act 1950. The second is the annual report of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, which is laid pursuant to Section 2(6) of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Act 1953. The FCO also lays before Parliament the annual report and accounts for the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. The laying of the accounts is a statutory requirement of the Companies Act 2006.
	The FCO, including FCO Services, also lays its own annual departmental reports before Parliament. These reports are not laid under statute.

Health: Clinical Trials

The Countess of Mar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 19 May (WA 161), what research has been conducted and what clinical and pathological data exist on the chronic effects of exposure to diazinon on the brain, heart, liver and kidneys of humans who have been (a) deliberately exposed to diazinon and (b) inadvertently exposed to diazinon.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The Government are not aware of any research that involved deliberate chronic exposure of humans to diazinon.
	The Committee on Toxicity (COT) is in the process of reviewing the evidence related to potential adverse health effects of organophosphates and this will include government-commissioned studies of sheep dippers, who may have been inadvertently exposed to diazinon. The COT will also consider relevant evidence published in the scientific literature. It is unlikely that this work will be completed before the end of 2009.

Health: Orthopaedic Procedures

Lord Smith of Leigh: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will raise the tariffs paid on complex orthopaedic procedures carried out at specialist centres such as Wrightington Hospital so that the local NHS trusts do not need to subsidise each operation.

Lord Darzi of Denham: There are no plans to revise the national Confirmation of Payments by Results (PbR) Arrangements for 2008-09, which were published in December 2007. Copies of the PbR Arrangements have been placed in the Library.
	We continue to work with the Specialist Orthopaedic Alliance, specialist hospitals and their host strategic health authorities, to try to ensure that all specialised service providers are adequately rewarded under PbR. It is our intention to move forward with a number of enhancements for the 2009-10 tariff, which will include the introduction of more sensitive payment currencies that will better differentiate between routine and complex cases.

Health: Prescribing and Dispensing

Baroness Cumberlege: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether general practitioners other than those in remote rural areas may both prescribe and dispense medicines; if so, what limitations exist on such practice; and what guidance they issue about it.

Lord Darzi of Denham: All general practitioners (GPs) can prescribe to their NHS patients. A patient, with primary care trust (PCT) approval, may ask a doctor to provide pharmaceutical services on certain grounds including they are resident in a controlled locality, which is at a distance of more than 1.6 kilometres from any pharmacy, or the patient would have serious difficulty in obtaining any necessary drugs or appliances from a pharmacy by reasons of distance or inadequacy of communication. This can apply anywhere in the country.
	If a new pharmacy opens in a controlled locality, or if an area is no longer considered rural by the PCT, GPs are required to reduce their dispensing.

Health: Prescribing and Dispensing

Baroness Cumberlege: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the practice of general practitioners both prescribing and dispensing medicines affects the Government's policy of maximising patient choice.

Lord Darzi of Denham: All General Practitioners (GPs) may prescribe for their patients. GPs may also dispense medicines to their patients in certain circumstances including that the patient would have serious difficulty in obtaining because of distance or inadequacy of communication or that the patient lives more than 1.6 kilometres from the nearest pharmacy.
	The principle of GPs dispensing has historically been seen as an exceptional measure, normally where there may not be a convenient community pharmacy and patients have no choice but to travel a considerable distance to the nearest pharmacy.
	The choice of having medicines dispensed by a GP is currently one that is available to less than around 7 per cent of patients. As part of the consultation promised in the White Paper Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths—Delivering the Future we will be consulting on proposals making changes to the control of market entry for dispensing medicine that will examine options for improving services and patient access. Consultation over any proposed changes will be carried out late in the summer. Copies of the White Paper are available in the Library.

Health: Sodium-induced Hypertension

Lord Wade of Chorlton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people in the United Kingdom are currently at risk of sodium-induced hypertension.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The 2006 Health Survey for England estimated that around one-third of adults have hypertension. However, it is not possible to estimate how many people in the United Kingdom are at risk of sodium-induced hypertension specifically as high salt intake is only one of the risk factors that contribute to hypertension. Other risk factors for hypertension include overweight, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption. Copies of the survey are available in the Library.

Health: Sodium-induced Hypertension

Lord Wade of Chorlton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What proportion of individuals currently suffering from hypertension would be likely to see a clinically significant improvement in their blood pressure if they restricted their sodium intake to within the Government's guideline of 6 grams per day.

Lord Darzi of Denham: No such estimate has been made by the Government. The number of lives saved annually by reducing average population intakes to 6 grams has, however, been estimated to be around 20,200.

Health: Training

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which strategic health authorities in 2007—08 under-spent on their multi-professional training and education budgets; and by how much.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The information to answer this Question will not be available until the end of June 2008.

Health: Training

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which strategic health authorities in 2007—08 under-spent on their non-medical education and training budgets.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The information to answer this Question will not be available until the end of June 2008.

Health: Training

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether any strategic health authorities made use of funding allocated to education and training budgets to accrue a surplus for the 2007—08 financial year.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The information to answer this Question will not be available until the end of June 2008.

Health: Training

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether all strategic health authorities met the objectives in the service level agreements attached to the multi-professional education and training levy for 2007—08; and, if not, what action is being taken with those that did not meet the objectives.

Lord Darzi of Denham: The information to answer this Question will not be available until the end of June 2008.

Identity Cards

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to include every United Kingdom resident on the National Identity Register.

Lord West of Spithead: The National Identity Register will hold the identity details of all UK residents aged 16 and above issued with an identity card. However, further primary legislation would be needed before everyone could be required to have an identity card.

Identity Cards

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they expect to include biometric data on every United Kingdom identity card.

Lord West of Spithead: It is intended that biometric information, including fingerprints and a photographic image of the holder, will be recorded for all United Kingdom identity cards from the date of issue.

Iraq: Prisoners

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 1 April (WA 158) to Question HL 2094 tabled on 22 February, when they now expect to write with a substantive Answer and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Further to my Written Answer of 1 April (Official Report, col. WA158). I apologise for the delay in responding. The original Answer given by Baroness Symons to the noble Lord's Question in January 2004 was based on thorough file and registry searches, this being the nonnal process for establishing answers of this kind. However, we are unfortunately unable to establish the precise chain of advice and documentation that lay behind this specific Answer. As a result, we are tightening up our record-keeping procedures.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What action they are taking through the quartet to persuade the Government of Israel (a) to allow fuel and essential supplies into Gaza; (b) to allow humanitarian access for food, water and basic health care; and (c) to enable the authorities to repair public service infrastructure and prevent raw sewage from flowing into the Mediterranean.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. This was addressed at a series of high-level international meetings in London on 2 May involving Palestinian Prime Minster Fayyad and Israeli Foreign Minister Livni. Following these meetings, the quartet called for emergency and humanitarian assistance and provision of essential services to Gaza to be continued without obstruction.
	The UK gave nearly £29 million in humanitarian assistance throughout 2007-08, including through European Commission funding mechanisms, to meet urgent basic needs. The Department for International Development is also funding a UN team to ensure access for humanitarian supplies and personnel.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What legal advice they have received on whether Israel's blockade of Gaza constitutes a collective punishment within the terms of the Geneva conventions.

Lord Malloch-Brown: It would not be appropriate to provide information about the receipt of legal advice.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the current status of the agreement on movement and access between the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority of 2005; and whether they will press for its full implementation in Gaza and the West Bank.

Lord Malloch-Brown: My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Defence Minister Barak on 2 April to follow up his announcements on movement and access, and to press for rapid implementation. We have continued to urge all parties to ensure normal operations are restored at Gaza's border crossings and to ensure that the supply of essentials, such as food, medicine and fuel, are maintained.

Israel and Palestine: Gaza

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the quartet has received advice from its special envoy on how to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Gaza; and, if so, what action the European Union and other members will take.

Lord Malloch-Brown: The quartet's representative remains actively engaged on this and other issues related to the Middle East peace process. The humanitarian situation in Gaza was discussed at a series of high-level meetings in London on 2 May involving Palestinian Prime Minster Fayyad, Israeli Foreign Minister Livni, representatives of the EU and others. Following the meetings, the quartet called for continued emergency and humanitarian assistance.
	My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary and his EU counterparts are also fully engaged. The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council monitors the situation closely. The EU continues to play a vital role in supporting the quartet and remains the largest single donor to the Palestinian Authority, having committed some $650 million during 2008.

Ivory Coast

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What assessment they have made of the upcoming elections in Côte d'Ivoire; and what role they believe the Student Federation of Côte d'Ivoire will play.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We welcome the Ivorian Government's decision to hold presidential elections on 30 November 2008, with the agreement of all the major Ivorian political parties. This is a tight deadline which can be met only through a concerted effort from both Ivorian and international institutions. The UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire has a mandate to certify the election process. Its most recent report on 15 April, which can be found at www.un.org/Docs/sc/sgrep08.htm, indicated that while there was a political consensus on holding elections there was still much work to be done. It also noted the elections would bear serious risks if they were not conducted in a transparent, free and credible manner.
	The Federation of Students of Cote d'Ivoire (FESCI) is the focus for a report on human rights abuses published by Human Rights Watch in May 2008. The report focuses on the past role of FESCI as a political mob for hire. In December 2007 FESCI elected a new leadership team who have tried to refocus the work of the students' union on educational matters rather than national politics. There has been a considerable reduction in the cases of abuse and intimidation by students on the wider population since the appointment of the new FESCI president. There does, however, remain a risk that politicians will attempt to mobilise FESCI support during the electoral process.

Local Government

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	(a) which statutory responsibilities have been devolved to and remain with local government since 1997; (b) what current expenditure is required to be met by local government; and (c) what contributions they make towards these responsibilities.

Baroness Andrews: Local authorities have a wide range of statutory responsibilities including for planning, transport, the local environment, education, social services, housing and recreational and cultural needs. There is no centrally held list of functions or responsibilities that have been devolved to local authorities since 1997. This information could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.
	Local authorities are responsible for setting their own budgets and spending priorities. However, certain services are allocated "ring-fenced" funding by central government to ensure minimum spend in the areas concerned. Excluding schools funding, the level of ring-fencing of local authority services in England was 5.1 per cent in 1997-98. On a comparable basis, ring-fencing in 2007-08 was 14.0 per cent. Over the next three years the level of ring-fencing is expected to reduce to 8.1 per cent in 2010-11.
	Under the Government's new burdens principle they are committed to ensuring that the additional responsibilities it places on local government in England are fully funded.

Local Government: Leisure Facilities

Lord Clement-Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What oversight the Charity Commission has of trusts that manage local authority leisure facilities.

Lord Davies of Oldham: This is a matter for the Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. The chief executive of the Charity Commission will write to the noble Lord and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

National Staff Dismissal Register

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What role the Home Office is playing in the setting up and operation of the National Staff Dismissal Register; and
	Whether the planned National Staff Dismissal Register will be compatible with the Data Protection Act 1998; and
	Whether the planned National Staff Dismissal Register will be compatible with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; and
	Whether employees will be notified if they are added to the National Staff Dismissal Register or turned down for a job opportunity due to their entry in the register; and
	What steps an employee can take to sue for defamation of character if information provided in the National Staff Dismissal Register is inaccurate and results in a job offer being withdrawn; and
	What conditions are attached to their funding of the National Staff Dismissal Register; and
	What steps they have taken to ensure that employers do not abuse the planned National Staff Dismissal Register by providing false information on former employees; and
	Whether employees added to the National Staff Dismissal Register will be able to see their entry; and
	What legal steps employees will be able to take to have their name removed from the National Staff Dismissal Register.

Lord West of Spithead: The National Staff Dismissal Register is a commercial initiative of the Action Against Business Crime Group (AABC).
	The Home Office, between 2004 and 2007, provided more than £1 million of funding to the group to set up and maintain 120 business crime reduction partnerships in towns and cities across England and Wales. All Home Office funding ceased in March 2007.
	The Home Office has not been consulted about the setting up of the National Staff Dismissal Register and will not be involved in any way in its operation. It will be for AABC to ensure that the register complies with all relevant legislation.

Northern Ireland Office: Mobile Phones

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 12 May (WA 112) concerning the Office of Government Commerce, what part environmental issues play in allocating contracts; and how it is demonstrated and monitored.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Relevant environmental issues can be considered throughout the procurement process: in defining and specifying what to buy, selecting suppliers to bid and awarding the contract. The OGC and Defra have published a Joint Note on Environmental Issues in Purchasing, explaining in detail how to do this.
	Departments provide information on the environmental aspects of their procurement activities in their annual returns to the Sustainable Development Commission and in their published sustainable development action plans. The Government are now establishing a centre for expertise in sustainable procurement (CESP) within the OGC. The CESP will assist departments in addressing environmental issues in both procurement and operations and will monitor their progress.
	The OGC is working with departments to establish and promote deals offering both value for money and sustainability benefits. OGCbuying.solutions offers framework contracts which already do this.

Northern Ireland Office: Mobile Phones

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 12 May (WA 112) what the Office of Government Commerce means by "improved value" and how it is demonstrated; and
	Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 12 May (WA 112), how the Office of Government Commerce defines equality and demonstrates its application.

Lord Davies of Oldham: All public procurers are required to seek value for money (VFM), normally through fair and open competition. Authorities must also comply with their legal obligations under the EU procurement rules and adhere to the EU treaty principles. Equality in the context of the Question refers to the principle that all suppliers be treated equally; ie opening supply opportunities to all, regardless of their status and reducing barriers to their participation in public procurement.
	VFM is defined as the optimum combination of whole-life costs and quality to meet the user requirement. Accounting officers have a responsibility to deliver VFM for the Exchequer as a whole. In areas of common spend such as commodity goods and services, including mobile phone services, collaborative procurements, carried out on behalf of a range of public bodies, are likely to result in improved value for the Exchequer and often for individual authorities, compared with individual, department-specific procurements. There are a number of pan-government framework agreements already established, including the OGCbuying.solutions frameworks for mobile telephony, which departments should always consider before an independent procurement is originated as they usually lead to better VFM. OGC's new on-line policy and standards framework guides departments through the key principles and processes of public procurement.

Olympic Games: Torch

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ask the International Olympic Committee to redirect the route of the Olympic torch away from the areas inhabited by Tibetans, out of respect for the Tibetans who have been killed or injured this year.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We understand the Olympic torch relay is scheduled to take place in Tibet from 19 to 21 June before moving on to other provinces with significant Tibetan populations, including Qinghai and Gansu, on its way to Beijing. Passage of the torch relay through any country is a matter for the authorities of the country concerned. We and EU partners do, however, continue to make clear our concerns for Tibetans involved in the recent unrest, including that they have access to the medical and legal assistance of their choice. The EU raised these concerns at the most recent round of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in Slovenia on 15 May.

Public Appointments: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked the Leader of the House:
	Further to her Written Answer on 12 May (WA 110—11), why the Government are working only with the House of Commons Liaison Committee to agree the list of posts suitable for pre-appointment scrutiny by parliamentary Select Committees; and whether she will ensure that this is a matter for both Houses of Parliament.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The Government's response to the Liaison Committee's First Report of Session 2007-08 on pre-appointment hearings by Select Committees, published on 2 June 2008, sets out details of posts suitable for pre-appointment scrutiny. The question of which committee scrutinises which appointment is entirely a matter for Parliament—not Government.

Questions for Written Answer: Government Agencies

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the rules concerning the referral of Written Answers to a government agency; whether such referred answers may be included in the Answer to be published in the Official Report; and if not, why.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Questions for Written Answer on matters within the areas delegated to agencies are customarily answered by the agencies themselves by way of a letter to the Peer concerned. These letters are usually published in the Official Report accompanied by a Minister's response explaining that the agency has been asked to reply. The Companion to Standing Orders makes clear that:
	"When a Minister Answers a Question, orally or in writing, by reference to a letter from the chief executive of an agency, the Minister remains accountable for the Answer" (2007 edition, page 69).

Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Ministry of Defence on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Cabinet Office guidance for civil servants on drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions was published in February 2005. A copy of the guidance is in the Library of the House. It can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/pq_guidance.aspx.
	Internal guidance on the drafting of Answers is issued at regular intervals and is also available on the staff intranet.

Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords.

Lord Malloch-Brown: Cabinet Office guidance for civil servants, on drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions, was published in February 2005. A copy of the guidance has been deposited in the Library of the House. It can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/pq_guidance.aspx.
	I also attach a link to the website of the Library of the House, setting out guidance the Foreign and Commonwealth Office gives to its officers on how to answer Questions for Written Answer. This guidance was deposited in the Library of the House in October 2007: www.parliament.uk./deposits/depositedpapers/2007/DEP2007-0014.doc.

Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Wales Office on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords.

Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Due to the size of the Wales Office, personal briefing from Parliamentary Branch is provided to new civil servants in the policy briefing unit on how to answer Written Questions in the House of Lords. Further on the job training is provided as necessary.
	In addition Cabinet Office guidance for civil servants on drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions was published in February 2005. A copy of the guidance is in the Library of the House. It can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/pq_quidance.aspx.

Questions for Written Answer: Guidance to Civil Servants

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the most recent guidance that has been issued to civil servants by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on the drafting of Answers to Questions for Written Answer in the House of Lords.

Baroness Vadera: Cabinet Office guidance for civil servants on drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions was published in February 2005. A copy of the guidance is in the Library of the House. It can also be found on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/civil_service/pq_guidance.aspx.
	In addition the department issues internal guidance for officials covering the process for producing draft Answers. The internal guidance is updated on an on-going basis.

Shopping Centres

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to campaigns about the growth of new shopping centres in Britain.

Baroness Andrews: Proposals to improve the effectiveness of our planning policy for town centres were set out in the planning White Paper Planning for a Sustainable Future. We are committed to a town centre first policy, and to an approach that promotes the vitality and viability of town centres. We will be consulting on draft revisions to planning policy statement 6 in the summer. The revisions will need to support current and prospective town centre investment and promote consumer choice and competition, taking account of the Competition Commission's findings in its recent report on the UK grocery market.

Somalia: Displaced People

Baroness Tonge: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have made regarding the recent fighting in Lower Juba in Somalia and the subsequent displacement of hundreds of Somali Bantu families.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We are aware of reports of fighting earlier this month in Lower Juba. We have not received information on any displacement of civilians from the area that the fighting may have prompted.
	We strongly condemn the use of such force and call on all Somalis to renounce violence and commit to a peaceful political process of dialogue, reconciliation and nation-building.

South Africa

Baroness Prashar: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they will take to support the Government of South Africa to reduce the violence against Zimbabweans, Mozambicans and other non-South Africans in townships and informal settlements.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We, like the South African Government, condemn the appalling xenophobic violence occurring in the townships of South Africa. We have been in touch with South African Ministers over this issue. Our high commission in Pretoria and the Department for International Development (DfID) have visited the affected areas and are working with local non-governmental organisations to provide food and shelter for the victims of the violence. Our high commissioner made a donation on behalf of the Government to the Central Methodist Church for immediate humanitarian assistance. With DfID, we are currently exploring options for additional assistance. This may include the possibility of hosting an event in partnership with the Human Sciences and Research Council. The aim of this project is to identify options for further action to counter xenophobic behaviour, while promoting dialogue between key civil society groups, community leaders, local government and faith groups.

Sudan: Abyei

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their political and diplomatic response to the growing crisis on the border of southern Sudan at Abyei; what are the prospects for a ceasefire; and which organisations are currently assisting the people displaced mainly in the area of Agok.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We are urging the Government of Sudan and the Government of Southern Sudan to work with the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC) to find a resolution to the disputed area of Abyei. The AEC is the international body mandated to monitor implementation of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
	The Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Commission brokered a ceasefire in Abyei on 18 May. We continue to urge the Government of Sudan and the Government of Southern Sudan to ensure that the armed groups in the area adhere to the terms of the ceasefire.
	The Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs-South Sudan is co-ordinating the response for South Sudan and the Agok area. The UN Children's Fund-South Sudan, Medécins Sans Frontières-Switzerland, World Vision, Concern and the International Organisation for Migration have all committed to the relief effort.

Sudan: Abyei

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are the international guarantors of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan, including the United Kingdom, doing to ensure the implementation of the Abyei Protocol.

Lord Malloch-Brown: The Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC) was mandated under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) to monitor implementation of the CPA, including the Abyei Protocol. We are pressing the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan to engage with the AEC to resolve the issues around Abyei and implement the Abyei protocol.
	The Permanent Secretaries of the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Sudan from 18 to 21 May and pressed senior representatives of both the Government of National Unity and the Government of Southern Sudan to resolve the Abyei dispute.

Taxation: Income Bands

Lord Christopher: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What would be the tax yields during the current financial year from (a) a 1 per cent increase in the 40 per cent rate income tax band; (b) a 45 per cent band on taxable income above (1) £250,000, and (2) £500,000; (c) a 60 per cent band on taxable income above £500,000; (d) a 50 per cent rate band on taxable income above £250,000 with a 60 per cent band on such income above £500,000; and (e) a 50 per cent tax band on income above £500,000 with a 60 per cent band on such income above £750,000.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The estimated figures are included below but exclude any behavioural response which could be significant given the scale of the changes.
	
		
			  Yield  (£ million) 
			 (a) 1 per cent increase in the 40 per cent income tax band 1,400 
			 (b)(i) 45 per cent band on taxable income above £250,000 1,500 
			 (b)(ii) 45 per cent band on taxable income above £500,000 840 
			 (c) 60 per cent band on taxable income above £500,000 3,400 
			 (d) 50 per cent rate band on taxable income above £250,000 with a 60 per cent band on such income above £500,000 4,600 
			 (e) 50 per cent tax band on taxable income above £500,000 with a 60 per cent band on such income above £750,000 2,900 
		
	
	1. Based on a personal allowance of £6,035 and basic rate limit of £34,800 for 2008-09.
	2. Assumes that the higher rate of tax on dividends remains unchanged at 32.5 per cent.
	3. Estimates represent the modelled increase in tax liability for the 2008-09 tax year and not the increase in revenue which would be received in-year.
	Estimates are based on the 2005-06 Survey of Personal Incomes projected in line with Budget 2008 assumptions.

Taxation: Mileage Rates

Lord Trefgarne: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When they will review the statutory mileage rates set out in Section 230(2) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government consider that the mileage rates are sufficiently high to cover the business motoring expenses of most drivers. The Chancellor announced in Budget 2008 that the Government would maintain the tax-free mileage allowance rates and thresholds at current levels.

Tibet

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their response to the recent recommendations of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch about this year's events in and around Tibet; and how they are assisting negotiations to resolve the situation there.

Lord Malloch-Brown: We agree that the way to resolve the underlying issues in Tibet is through dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama. Following the recent events in Tibet and surrounding areas, we have, together with EU partners, consistently emphasised to both sides the need for genuine discussions. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister did so most recently when he met the Dalai Lama in London on 23 May. We welcome the recent meeting between Chinese officials and representatives of the Dalai Lama on 4 May as the first step in this process and hope the second round of talks due to take place on 11 June will lead to substantive progress.
	We do not believe that a boycott of any part of the Olympic Games would help the situation in Tibet or elsewhere. On the contrary, we firmly believe that it is in our interest to support a successful Olympics in Beijing as part of China's re-engagement with the world. The Dalai Lama himself has made clear that he does not support a call for the boycott of the Olympics.

Transport: Tram Trains

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why tram trains are being trialled; whether the experience of the use of tram trains in Germany has been taken into account; and whether the feasibility of trialling street running has been taken into account in selecting the Penistone Line for a trial.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The trial is intended to test the technical and operational feasibility and assess the potential costs and benefits of this type of transport solution in Great Britain. While there are a number of aspirations for tram train deployment in the UK, there are many practical operational, safety and technical issues that need to be overcome before agreement to implement this type of technology could be given.
	We are studying their potential in partnership with others in the rail industry and this includes looking at tram trains that are currently being used in other countries including Germany. The trial will occur in two phases. The first phase will test the application on the conventional rail network only, which in this instance is the Penistone Line. The second phase will test how the tram train operates between the conventional rail network and a street tram system.